East Side store sees progress following safety improvements

SAN ANTONIO- An East Side convenience store is trying to clean up its reputation after city officials raided the store last month.

Neighbors say they are seeing positive change at Convenience Corner Neighborhood Store on the East Side.

Crime in the area often spilled onto its front steps, but neighbors say it appears there's less illegal activity thanks to the owner’s updates.

“The amount of people just coming around and hanging around, you know loitering. All that has changed a whole lot,” said Naamon Durham Sr. who lives near the store.

Following a raid last month by the city's "dangerous assessment response team" or DART, the owner was asked to make the property safer. The owner tells us he has.

“New no loitering signs. We fixed it then we put new light. Also, I put new security system camera system I put in too,” said Asm Farhad the store owner.

The work he's putting in isn't going unnoticed. In a statement SAPD explains “the amount of foot traffic and cars parked in the parking lot for an extended period of time has decreased tremendously.” Numbers show crime in the area has also dropped since the raid.

San Antonio’s SAFFE unit will continue to monitor the store. The Huntleigh Park Residents Association plans to meet next week to discuss ways to continue improving safety.

“It takes everybody in the community to do they part and help out,” said Durham.